Collapsible box and method for manufacturing and filling collapsible boxes

ABSTRACT

A collapsible box made of cardboard or of laminated cardboard for receiving packaging items contains an applicator ( 2 ) for handling the packaging item, which on the inside of a side wall ( 3 ) is releasably fixed to the collapsible box ( 1 ) using a pressure sensitive adhesive. The box has a window opening ( 4 ) and also a segment ( 5 ) which can be pressed in or torn away for detaching the applicator, the segment ( 5 ) and the window opening ( 4 ) being arranged on mutually opposing ends of the side wall ( 3 ).

The invention relates to a collapsible box according to the preamble ofclaim 1. Collapsible boxes of this type serve inter alia for thepackaging of tubes, cans, bottles, ampoules or other articles above allfrom the pharmaceutical industry. Applicators are frequently used forhandling the packaging item. Applicators of this type can be auxiliarymeans with which the content of the packaging item (such as for examplepowders, pastes, liquids) can be administered. Examples of theapplicator include a flat rod with a metering section for measuring outpastes from tubes, a stirring rod, a metering spoon, a metering syringeor a spatula. Obviously, the present invention is not suitable forpharmaceutical purposes. Other examples of applicators include forks,knives or spoons.

In the past, applicators were inserted loose into the interior ofcollapsible boxes. This has the drawback that, when the boxes areopened, the applicators can accidentally fall out. Furthermore,non-fastened applicators can damage sensitive packaging items duringtransportation, or they can themselves become damaged.

It is therefore an object of the invention to avoid the drawbacks of theknown prior art and in particular to provide a collapsible box of thetype mentioned at the outset with which applicators can be received inan advantageous manner. Furthermore, the packaging is to be simple tomanufacture and in particular simple to fit with one or moreapplicators.

These objects are achieved by a collapsible box having the features inclaim 1. The collapsible box is suitable inter alia for receivingpackaging items such as tubes, cans, bottles, ampoules or otherarticles.

Applicators for handling the packaging item are fixed on the inside of aside wall of the collapsible box or can be fixed thereto. The holdingmeans may be all devices or auxiliary means which are suitable forfixing the applicator in position. Hook-and-loop closures (Velcro®),pushbuttons or magnetic adhesion would for example also be conceivable.

For releasable fixing, the corresponding inside can be coated at leastin certain portions with an adhesive, in particular with a pressuresensitive adhesive. The use of pressure sensitive adhesive ensuresadvantageous fixing of the applicator in position. In this way, one ormore applicators can easily be integrated into the collapsible box.Alternatively to pressure sensitive adhesive, other types of adhesivecould also provide advantages for specific areas of application.However, in principle, other fastening variants are also conceivable.

The collapsible box is made preferably of cardboard or of laminatedcardboard. However, obviously, the box could also be made of othersheet-like materials (for example plastics material). The collapsiblebox can be produced from a single blank, wherein the blank can aftercollapsing and adhesive bonding operations form a right parallelepipedpackaging body.

In a first embodiment, the side wall associated with the applicator canhave at least one window opening. This arrangement allows the applicatorto be examined from the outside. This has the advantage that a user cancheck in a simple manner, without opening the box beforehand, thepresence of the at least one applicator. It can be particularlyadvantageous if the window opening is covered by a transparent film.

In a further embodiment, a segment which can be pressed in or torn awaycan be arranged on the side wall associated with the applicator fordetaching the applicator. Once the segment has been partly or completelypressed in or torn away, the applicator can easily be grasped andwithdrawn from the collapsible box.

The segment can be defined by cutting lines and/or weakening lines inthe side wall in such a way that it can be wholly or partly removed fromthe side wall on application of pressure. Merely partial removal can beattained for example by means of a folding portion which can be foldedopen from the plane of the side wall about a folding line.

The portion coated with pressure sensitive adhesive can be arranged atleast partly on the segment. Depending on the purpose of use and thetype of applicator, it may be advantageous if only the segment having anadhesive surface is coated with pressure sensitive adhesive or if, inaddition, also a part of the remaining side wall is coated with pressuresensitive adhesive.

The box wall can be delimited at one end by a free side edge, whereinthe segment directly adjoins the side edge. This ensures that thesegment can be removed from the side wall in a particularly simplemanner.

The segment can be adjoined by a guarantee closure which is formed bycutting lines and/or weakening lines and contains at least one inwardlyfoldable folding portion. It may be particularly advantageous if itcontains two folding portions which can be folded open in a roughlywindow-like manner. These folding portions can in this case be separatedfrom each other at least partly by a cutting line.

Furthermore, it may be advantageous if a recess adjoins the segment forgrasping the segment.

It may then be advantageous if the segment and the window opening arearranged on mutually opposing ends of the side wall.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a method for manufacturingand filling the collapsible box described hereinbefore. The method isdistinguished in that firstly a box blank is provided preferably on aflat working surface, in that an applicator is then placed on the boxblank which is preferably designed in a sheet-like manner, theapplicator being releasably fixed on the side wall by means of a holdingmeans applied to an inside of a side wall of the collapsible box, theholding means being in particular a pressure sensitive adhesive, and inthat finally, for producing a preferably right parallelepipedcollapsible box, the box blank is erected and folded up. For fixing theright parallelepiped end position, the collapsible box canadvantageously be secured in this position by adhesive bondingoperations.

Further individual features and advantages of the invention will emergefrom the subsequent description of the exemplary embodiments and fromthe drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible box according to theinvention with an applicator;

FIG. 2 shows the collapsible box according to FIG. 1, but after theremoval of a segment which can be torn away;

FIG. 3 shows the applicator from FIG. 1/2;

FIG. 4 shows a prepared blank for the collapsible box according to FIG.1 with an applicator adhesively bonded to the blank;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of a blank for a collapsible box according to asecond exemplary embodiment with an applicator fixed thereto;

FIG. 5 a shows the blank according to FIG. 5 (without applicator); and

FIG. 6 shows a prepared blank for a collapsible box according to a thirdexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows a collapsible box which is denoted by reference numeral 1and is suitable for receiving a broad range of packaging items. Thepackaging items (not shown) can be for example tubes, cans, ampoules orbottles. As may be seen, the collapsible box 1 has a rightparallelepiped basic element. The collapsible box illustrated in FIG. 1is opened at one end. An insertable cover 10 serves to close thecollapsible box. Apart from the side wall which is denoted by referencenumeral 3 and will be described in greater detail hereinafter, thispackaging corresponds to conventional commercial collapsible boxes.Boxes of this type have been known to a person skilled in the art andconventional for a relatively long time.

The special feature of the collapsible box 1 consists in the fact that aseparate component is advantageously integrated in the box. Thiscomponent will be referred to hereinafter as the “applicator”. One endof the applicator, which is denoted by reference numeral 2, may be seenthrough the window opening 4. The applicator is adhesively bonded on theinside of the side wall 3 with the aid of a pressure sensitive adhesive.The pressure sensitive adhesive used may be a conventional commercialproduct. This type of adhesive is described in detail for example inGerd Habenicht, Kleben, 5^(th) edition, Springer-Verlag, inter alia inChap. 3.2. Theoretically, it would however also be conceivable to useother adhesives as the holding means (such as for example a hot-meltadhesive). On the opposing side of the window opening, a segment 5 whichcan be torn away is arranged on the side wall 3. This segment 5, whichis defined by a roughly V-shaped cutting line, directly adjoins the freeside edge 13 of the box wall 3. Once the segment has been torn away, theapplicator is partly exposed and can be grasped for withdrawal from thebox. This position is shown in FIG. 2. Reference numeral 3′ denotes theremaining side wall which is left once the tear-away segment has beenremoved. The contours of the applicator 2 are indicated by broken lines.

FIG. 3 shows a single applicator 2 which in the present case is embodiedby way of example as a spatula. Also possible, instead of a simplespatula of this type, is a flat rod which has a metering section and towhich a paste can be applied from a tube. The rod could also havedepressions. Obviously, other applicators, such as for example stirringrods, metering spoons, metering syringes, are also conceivable. In thefood sector, applicators could for example be forks, knives or spoons.

FIG. 4 shows a blank which is fitted with an applicator 2 and is madepreferably of cardboard or laminated cardboard. As may be seen, thecollapsible box can be produced from a single blank 12, the individualportions of the blank being separated from one another by folding lines.These folding lines are indicated by dot-dash lines. As FIG. 4 shows,the window opening 4 is configured by way of example as a roughlyD-shaped opening. Obviously, instead of the D shape, other openingshapes are also conceivable. The opening 4 is covered with a transparentfilm. Furthermore, an adhesive surface 9, indicated by a hatchedsurface, may be seen in FIG. 4. This adhesive surface 9 is coated with apressure sensitive adhesive to which the applicator 2 is releasablyfixed. This portion coated with pressure sensitive adhesive is arrangedin the region of the tip of the V of the segment 5. Obviously, it wouldhowever also be conceivable to provide the adhesive surface not only onthe segment. Additionally or alternatively, one or more adhesivesurfaces, which are coated with pressure sensitive adhesive, could alsobe arranged on the remaining side wall 3.

FIGS. 5 and 5 a show a blank of a further collapsible box. As the blankhas merely an altered configuration of the side wall 3, only certaindetails of it are illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 5 a. A roughly rectangularsegment 5, which can be torn away and is defined by perforation lines 6,is arranged on the side wall 3. In order to facilitate grasping of thesegment, this segment is adjoined by a roughly semicircular recess 11.The adhesive surface coated with pressure sensitive adhesive is herelikewise indicated by the hatched surface 9. The segment 5 does notnecessarily have to be torn away; instead, it could also be pressed inby a user. The recess 11 is not crucial.

FIG. 6 shows a blank 12 fitted with an applicator 2. In contrast to theforegoing exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 5 and 5 a, the segment5 cannot be fully removed from the side wall 2. The segment 5 isconfigured as a folding portion, the corresponding folding line beingindicated by a dot/dash line 16. In addition to the segment 5, aguarantee closure 7 is provided on the side wall 2. This guaranteeclosure consists of two folding portions 8 and 8′ which can be folded inand are separated from each other by a cutting line 15. This cuttingline 15 is interrupted by holding points. The corresponding foldinglines for the folding portions 8 and 8′ are indicated by dot/dash lines.

1. Collapsible box, preferably made of cardboard or of laminated cardboard for receiving packaging items, in particular tubes, cans, bottles, ampoules or other articles, and also at least one applicator for handling the packaging item, comprising a holding means, with which the applicator is fixed or can be fixed in the collapsible box, is provided on the inside of a side wall of the collapsible box.
 2. Collapsible box according to claim 1, wherein the inside of a side wall is coated at least in certain portions with an adhesive.
 3. Collapsible box according to claim 1, wherein the side wall associated with the applicator has at least one window opening.
 4. Collapsible box according to claim 3, wherein the window opening is covered by a transparent film.
 5. Collapsible box according to claim 1, wherein a segment which can be pressed in or torn away is arranged on the side wall associated with the applicator for detaching the applicator.
 6. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein the segment is defined by at least one of a cutting line and a weakening line in the side wall in such a way that it can be wholly or partly removed from the side wall on application of pressure.
 7. Collapsible box according to claim 2, wherein the portion coated with adhesive is arranged at least partly on the segment.
 8. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein the box wall is delimited at one end by a free side edge, wherein the segment directly adjoins the side edge.
 9. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein the segment is adjoined by a guarantee closure which is formed by at least one of a cutting line and a weakening line and contains at least one inwardly foldable folding portion.
 10. Collapsible box according to claim 9, wherein the guarantee closure contains two folding portions which are separated from each other at least partly by a cutting line.
 11. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein a recess adjoins the segment for grasping the segment.
 12. Collapsible box according to claim 3, wherein the segment and the window opening are arranged on mutually opposing ends of the side wall.
 13. Method for manufacturing and filling collapsible boxes with tubes, container cans, ampoules, bottles or other articles and also with at least one applicator for administering the content of the packaging item according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: providing a box blank, placing an applicator on the box blank, the applicator being fixed on the side wall by means of a holding means applied to an inside of a side wall of the collapsible box, and erecting and folding up the box blank to produce a preferably right parallelepiped collapsible box.
 14. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein the portion coated with adhesive is arranged at least partly on the segment.
 15. Collapsible box according to claim 5, wherein the segment and the window opening are arranged on mutually opposing ends of the side wall.
 16. Collapsible box according to claim 2, wherein the adhesive is pressure sensitive.
 17. Collapsible box according to claim 16, wherein the adhesive is fixable to the applicator in a releasable manner. 